Sister Sarah
by AerynPalmer
Summary: Jack comes home to new windows, a new brick wall and a girl climbing through the laundry room window? A young girl who had known his Ma, but who is she hiding from...other then child services? The brothers thought they'd seen the last of trouble, guess no
1. World of the Living

Bobby sat, slouched over, in the beige Hospital chair. The walls were a bleak white and everything smells like ammonia. He grimaced, flipping the page in the random magazine he'd found next to Jack's bed. A nurse in an oversized shirt speckled in colorful balloons entered. Her bony fingers clutched a clipboard and pen.

"If you'll just sign there, Mr. Mercer." She said to Jack, who was sitting on the edge of the bed he'd occupied for close to a month, his bag packed and sitting next to him.

He took the pen, scratched loosely on the paper and handed it back to her. She didn't smile she just turned her back and shuffled out of the room.

"You ready?" Bobby asked agitated, rising and tossing the magazine in the mini plastic trashcan.

"Yea," Jack said happily.

Bobby slung the bag over his shoulder. He and Jack walked side by side slowly out of the Hospital.

"So Jerry and I were thinking of going out for a few drinks tonight." Bobby said, hitting the elevator arrow that pointed down. "To celebrate you coming home and all."

"I can't drink yet Bobby, I have to wait like a whole month." Jack frowned.

"It's alright, you can drive me home sweetheart." Bobby smirked.

Jack pressed the button for the ground level harder then necessary and the elevator doors slid shut.

"It' too bad Angel's in L.A." Bobby said, tossing Jack's small duffle into the back seat of the car, "He'd love a night of drinking."

"Not as much as you." Jack retorted dryly. Smirking at his own attempt at a dig at his brother.

'C'mon, fairy, put your seatbelt on, that took longer then I thought," Bobby said shifting the car into gear, "Jerry's probably already at the bar."

"Shit man," Jack sighed, clicking his belt into place, "I just got out of the hospital."

"Yea well, welcome back to the world of the living."


	2. Corn Pops Gal

"Jack," Bobby slurred, "You really shouldn't be drivin' in your condition."

Jack smirked, "Bobby you'd kill us both if you were behind the wheel. I'm fine."

"Yea well, I'm not drunk. I could drive." Bobby pointed threateningly.

"We're home." Jack stopped the car abruptly, sending an un-seat belted Bobby into the dash.

Bobby cursed under his breath. Stumbling out of the car. Jack stuffed his hands into his leather jacket pockets and walked briskly to the door. After what seemed like five minutes to Jack Bobby finally found the house keys and unlocked the door.

Jack shivered as he walked in, not because of the temperature, but because the last time he was standing at that door he had been minus a few scars that now spotted his leg and stomach.

"I'm going to bed." Bobby said, hanging his jacket on the peg by the door.

"Night man,' Jack replied as Bobby slowly scuffled up the stairs.

Jack made his way to the kitchen, riffling through the almost bare fridge.

Sofie usually took care of groceries. Angel out of town meant no Sofie. Jack sighed and shut the fridge door.

Staring blankly at the pictures and their respective magnets that littered the front of the machine Jack ran a hand through his hair.

There was a faint thud, followed by another bang.

Jack tensed, he went to the front hall looking out the front door's window he saw nothing. He grabbed a baseball bat that rested in the umbrella holder.

There was a louder thud. Jack walked slowly back towards the kitchen. He followed the faint scuffling sounds to the laundry room door. Taking in air he held the bat, raised, with one hand and swung the door open fiercely with the other.

'Oh my god! Stop," shouted a girl, she had her legs twisted in laundry and her arm stuck between the washing and drying machine. The cold winter air blew in through the open window.

Jack stood starring at her for a moment before shaking his head. He put the bat down and shut the window.

"What are you doing?" He asked, taken aback by the situation.

"I'm stuck, I'm sorry, I tried the door but it was locked and the hide a key isn't there anymore and I needed to get in, it's freezing." The girl said, in one breath.

Jack tilted his head confused. "Who are you?"

By now the girl's arm was untangled, her feet were free and she was straightening her long sleeve, white button up shirt. She was in patched jeans and her red-ringlets fell disheveled to her shoulders. Bright blue eyes focused themselves on Jack.

"I'm Sarah." She walked past Jack into the kitchen.

"And you're Jack." She continued, walking over to the cabinet above the sink and pulling out a box of corn pops.

Jack smirked, amused.

"So you know your name, you know my name and you know where the corn pops are," he leaned against the doorframe, "How?"

"Ask miss Evie," she replied with a coy smirk, popping a handful of pops into her mouth.

Jack's face went somber, his mouth opened to say something but shut just as quickly, furrowing his brow as if in deep thought.

"What?" Sarah asked, suddenly concerned, "Did I say something?"

She looked confused. Setting down the cereal box on the counter she took a few cautious steps towards Jack.

"She's," He started, but stopped himself.

"How do you know her?" He asked suddenly.

"Uh," Sarah shifted standing in the middle of the kitchen now, "I used to live here."

"When?" Jack asked surprised, he'd never heard of her. Granted she was younger than him, but he didn't think by much. "She never told me about you."

"Really?" Sarah asked smiling, "Well she told me a lot about you…and your brothers."

"What'd she say?" Jack asked intrigued, crossing his arms across his chest. He'd almost forgotten the girl he was talking to had just jumped through a window into his house.

"Oh," Sarah started in a teasing tone, "Just funny little stories about when you all were little."

"Great," Jack scoffed.

"I lived with her only for a couple of weeks this past fall," Sarah offered.

Jack nodded, "I was in New York, I didn't really have a phone.

"She told me," Sarah smiled.

"So…"Jack started.

"Yea, so," Sarah paused, "Where is miss Evie?"

Jack's face darkened again.

"What?" Evie asked cautiously, starting to get worried again, "Did something happen? Is she in the hospital? I told her she shouldn't shovel the steps when it snowed by herself, there are plenty of neighborhood kids who would do it for her…"

"She's dead." Jack said, more abrupt than he wanted to.

Sarah just stared at him, the thought not fully registering in her mind.

"She," Jack said more calmly, "Passed away, just before thanksgiving."

"No," Sarah said in an unbelieving tone.

"She was," Jack shifted uncomfortably, " shot, in a convenience store, just before Thanksgiving."

"No." Sarah said again, firmly, "She wasn't"

"Yes," Jack said, starting to get irritated.

"I," Sarah faltered, "I, uhm, I…"

She started walking quickly towards the front door.

"Sarah?!" Jack started after her quickly.

"I don't wan to talk to you," She shouted, "I want to see miss Evie."

"Sarah!" Jack grabbed her arm as she started up the stairs.

"Let go!" She wretched her arm free, swinging her body around to bound up the stairs she stumbled back at the site of a bat in her face. Jack caught her and held her from running back to the kitchen.

"What the fuck is this?" Bobby said, irritated, holding a bat as if to swing at Sarah.

"Bobby," Jack calmly stated, tightly holding the struggling girl in his arms, "Meet Sarah, Sarah meet Bobby. She knew Ma."

"Let," Sarah threw her arms back, pushing hard against Jack, "Me go!"

She sprung free, Jack tossing his arms up in the air, surrendering. Bobby looked cross, examining the situation. He walked the rest of the way down the stairs, placing the bat against the wall.

"What are you doing in my house?"

"It's my house too!" Sarah said defensively.

"She lived here with Ma a couple of weeks this fall." Jack quickly explained to a very confused looking Bobby.

"Where's the hide a key?" Sarah shifted the conversation abruptly.

"Uh," Bobby said, running a hand through his hair, "I got rid of it after Jack was shot."

He moved sloth like towards the kitchen, "I need a drink. You want something?"

Sarah shook her head. Jack shrugged, shaking his head.

"Do you want to sit down?" Jack asked Sarah cautiously.

She moved without a word to the couch. She blinked a few times and her cheeks became damp.

Jack sat next to her, she wiped tears from her face, but soon new ones slid down the side of her face. Jack slowly put his arm around her.

Bobby re-entered, water glass in hand, and sat heavily in the chair across from the couch. Sarah was now nestled against Jack, silently crying.

Bobby gave one look at Jack, the most confused what the fuck is going on look he could muster.

"You really didn't know about Ma?" Jack asked quietly.

Bobby's eyes lit up with understanding.

Sarah just shook her head. "The people I was staying with, well, anyways no one told me."

"It was in the paper." Bobby said.

"I don't normally read the obituaries." Sarah snapped. "I figured someone would call me if anything…I didn't think."

She didn't finish her sentence. Jack rubbed her arm for comfort.

"Who do you live with?" Bobby asked.

"No one," Sarah said, matter of fact-ly, wiping her remaining tears away, "Not any more."

Jack looked at Bobby; concern in his eyes again.

"Anyone looking for yah?" Bobby said, emptying his glass.

"Nope." She said, "Not anymore."

Bobby furrowed his brow, but shook it off.

"You wanna stay here tonight?" He asked.

"Yea." Sarah replied simply.

"Ok," Bobby said getting up, "You can have Angel's room."

Sarah nodded, getting up and starting towards the laundry room.

"Where are you going?" Bobby asked.

"To get my bag."

"Leave it," He said, continuing his walk towards the stairs, "You can get it tomorrow."

Sarah looked from Bobby to Jack, than shrugged and started up after him.

Jack exhaled. A few minutes later Bobby returned downstairs, sans Sarah.

"Get up," He said militarily.

"Bobby what're you doing man?" Jack asked, sighing again as he arose from the comfort of the couch.

"Jerry asleep yet?" Bobby asked sharply.

Jack looked at the clock hanging on the wall. "Yea, why?"

Bobby came back from the depths of the kitchen carrying Sarah's oversized army green duffle. Placing it roughly on the table.

"What're you doing?" Jack asked again.

"Shut up and look through this." Bobby said, tossing Sarah's wallet into Jack's hands. "I wanna know who this girl is."

"Shit," Jack said under his breath.

"What?" Bobby turned sharply, placing the book he'd been leafing through down on the table.

"She's sixteen man."

"Yea," Bobby said grimly, "I thought she was young."

"Other than that it's twenty dollars in cash and a couple pictures. Look at this." Jack said, holding up a wallet sized picture, "It's her with Ma."

Jack put the picture back in the wallet and put the wallet down on the table. Bobby was leafing through another book.

"What's this?" Jack asked, pulling out a green folder hidden between a couple of sweatshirts.

Bobby put the book down and snatched the folder from Jack.

"It's her records." Bobby said, "She's from Detroit."

"Oh man, she was livin' in Florida," Jack added, peering over Bobby's shoulder, "That's a long way to travel."

Bobby frowned.

"Why do you think she left?" Jack asked.

Bobby stuffed the folder back into the bag. "Here's an idea, we'll ask her tomorrow. I'm going back to bed."

Jack nodded. Bobby scuffled through the living room and up the stairs.

Walking back into the kitchen Jack put the corn pops back on the shelf.


	3. Morning Cereal, Shouting, and Banging

3

Jack trudged down the stairs, it was 8am and Bobby was still snoring. Jack would normally still be asleep too, if his chest hadn't woken him up in pain. He'd popped a couple painkillers and decided he was up for the day.

Jack huffed as he took the last step. He didn't like stairs; they were just another reminder that he wasn't back to 100 yet.

"Morning," He said surprised, leaning heavily on the doorframe.

Sarah smiled, joylessly. She took another spoonful of corn pops into her mouth. She was sitting on the kitchen counter, with a small bowl in her hands.

"Those are Bobby's you know." Jack said, smirking.

Sarah shrugged. She was wearing a plain black long sleeve and dark denims. Swinging her legs back and forth lightly she stared glumly at the wall.

Jack watched her, studying her, for a moment. He thought he smelled a faint vanilla scent and smiled. His mom always wore vanilla, but a stronger, warmer version.

"How long have you been up?" He asked, noticing a purple tone under her eyes.

Sarah shrugged again, "I didn't really sleep."

He frowned. He skin seemed whiter then last night. Her short brown hair, no longer tied up in a ponytail, hung slightly passed her shoulders. He didn't like how pale she looked; she needed sleep.

Sarah noticed Jack watching her and blushed lightly, shifting on the counter before she decided to hop off. She put her half eaten bowl of cereal in the sink and moving to the other room.

"You guys went through my bag?" She asked, taking a seat at the dining room table.

Jack joined her.

"Yea, sorry about that." Jack said, sounding earnestly apologetic.

"Find anything interesting?" She asked, eyes focusing unwaveringly on Jack. She stared him down, hoping she hid the nervous feeling that was forming in her stomach.

He shifted, uncomfortable; her eyes were very big and very green. His mouth opened, but before any sound came out the front door swung open and someone bellowed.

"Hey! Anybody home?" the voice shouted loudly into the depths of the house.

Jack smirked; Bobby was awake now.

"Jerry!" Sarah shouted, a warm smile spread across her lips, lighting up her face.

Jack raised his eyebrows; she was really pretty when she smiled, for a sixteen year old that was. He got up and followed her into the living room.

Sarah could feel her heart skip a beat the moment she heard his voice; Jerry was her favorite. Not that she'd ever met the other brothers. But Jerry always knew how to cheer her up. She wrapped her arms around him in the biggest hug she could muster.

"Sarah?" He sounded surprised, totally taken aback, but not upset.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, looking to Jack as Sarah peeled herself away.

Jack answered, slouched on the couch, a hand to his numbed side. "Climbing through laundry room windows late at night."

Sarah glared slightly, letting her mouth form a straight line, "Was that _really_ necessary?" She groaned.

"Seriously?" Jerry asked, trying hard not to laugh at her soured expression.

Sarah relaxed, Jerry didn't sound too upset.

Jack threw his arms up in surrender. Effectively leaving the conversation.

"What happened to just using the hide-a-key?" Jerry asked, teasing.

Sarah waved her hand dismissively in the air, "Someone got rid of it."

"Seriously?" Jerry turned his attention back to Jack, who was watching the exchange.

"Bobby." Jack answered simply. Flicking on the TV and turning it to a random hockey game.

Sarah sat casually next to Jack, neither of them really paying much attention to the screen.

Jerry striped off his heavy denim jacket, hanging it on his unmarked, designated peg in the hall; he came back to the living room, slouching in the fading green chair across from the couch.

"So," he started, and Sarah inwardly flinched, she knew what was coming.

"Sarah what are you doing here?" He asked, an unmistakable seriousness lacing his voice.

"Oh," She said, trying to keep a casual tone in her voice, "It's a story."

"That you're gonna tell us." Bobby said harshly.

Sarah tensed. Jack eyed her for a moment, than turned his eyes back to the TV screen, paying less attention then before.

"You went through my bag!" The accusation came out of Sarah's mouth before she could stop it.

Bobby turned his full gaze to her, and she shrank slightly, blushing. Attention wasn't really her forte.

"Seriously?" Jerry interrupted, sounding exasperated. Bobby turned his attention to his younger brother.

"You want a serisouly Jeryy? Seriously…what the fuck are you doing shouting in my house this early? It's 830 in the mornin'. Would I come into your house shouting at 830 in the mornin'?" He wasn't in a good mood.

Sarah smirked, hoping she'd been forgotten. Bobby had a temper, and Jerry had strong opinions. Miss Evie had told her quite a few stories about the two, and some of their best arguments.

"It ain't my fault you left the bar late." Jerry said.

Sarah smiled inwardly, relaxing a little. She noticed a small smile spread to Jack's face too. The battle had begun. And the two on the couch had been forgotten.

"It was a celebration Jerry, damn." Bobby put his hands to the side of his throbbing head. "Damn it, my head's killing me, Princess where're your pain killers?"

"My room," Jack answered casually, sighing and flicking the channel. Another hockey game came up on the screen.

Bobby grunted and turned to the stairs.

"Damn it Bobby, you can't take his pills!" Jerry got to his feet, following Bobby upstairs. "He only gets a certain amount of those!"

"I got a guy," Bobby said, waving him off, to no great success, "He can get more if he wants."

"That ain't legal Bobby." Jerry nagged.

Bobby scoffed, walking upstairs with Jerry in-tow.

"They always like this?" Sarah asked, reaching over and taking the remote from an uninterested Jack.

He smirked, "You have no idea."

She smiled, flicking the screen to MTV.

"So why are you on pain killers?" She asked after a couple of minutes.

"I got shot." He said simply. She gaped, and then recovered her facial expressions.

First Miss Evie was…she stopped thinking about that, concentrating on the latest bit of violent news. "How?" She asked, somewhat breathlessly.

"After Ma…" Jack faltered, turning his head back to the TV, "Well we did some digging, and some people didn't appreciate it."

Sarah flicked the channel back to sports.

"You know, I was legally dead." He said, laughing lightly, it sounded so surreal to say.

"It took 'em a whole two days to get a hold of anyone to tell 'em I was brought back in the ambulance. They finally got through to Jerry. They had had a funeral and everything. Some ME had switched the id tags and the grave had to be dug up, it was a mess."

"Who…" Sarah asked quietly. She stared, eyes glassing over, at the TV screen, unsure if Jack would know what she was trying to ask.

"We got'em." He answered quietly.

He understood. She smiled, wiping the damp from her eyes. She flicked the screen back to MTV; My Super Sweet Sixteen came on.

"You know," she said, the casual dullness returning in her voice, "I always wanted one…a big 16th party. Miss Evie helped me plan it actually but then I…" She let it drop. And Jack didn't prod her for more.

He had the urge to wrap his arm around her; he didn't. After a few more minutes of sad silence Sarah spoke up.

"You know, I haven't heard Bobby or Jerry yelling?" She looked confused.

Jack looked to the empty stairs, he couldn't hear anything, which meant they were probably upstairs talking about her, so he shrugged and snatched the remote back, attempting to distract her.

"Hey!" She exclaimed.

Jack held the remote high above his head. He was really tall, Sarah thought, or at least has really long arms. She finally gave up on reaching for the remote.

"It's too early for whining rich girls to be on my TV." He said, teasing, and flicked the channel back to sports.

Sarah huffed, lightly smiling, and leaned back into the couch. She didn't mind sports, they didn't remind her of things she'd never get to do and a person she'd never get to see again.

"You know her?" Bobby asked in a hushed tone. Shutting the door to Jack's room quietly.

Bobby hadn't been after the painkillers; he'd been trying to get Jerry alone.

Jerry sighed, "Yea," catching on to Bobby's plan. He sat on Jack's bed ready to start a story.

Bobby crossed his arms expectantly.

"She lived with Ma for a few months. Jack was in New York, Angel was out in L.A., and you were…somewhere." Jerry shrugged, "She used to baby sit for the girls, they loved her, Camille loved her. You know, I really thought she'd stay with Ma. But then some rich family came in and adopted her. The whole thing was pretty sudden. They were from down south I think."

Bobby nodded, "Florida, we found her papers."

"How did you…" Jerry started and then frowned, "O'man tell me you didn't go through all her stuff? She's only been here a few hours!"

"A night Jerry." Bobby corrected, "And she knows we went through her bag." He spoke louder than he intended to.

"It hasn't even been 24 hours man," Jerry shook his head, "And is she finds out you went through _everything_, she gonna be pissed."

"Jerry, some_ random_ girl comes into my home and you don't expect me to look around a bit?" He flailed his arm in the air to make his point.

"She's not a stranger man, she's like family, she was almost…"Jerry stopped himself, taking a deep breath. Bobby always had the habit of upsetting him, getting him worked up. He didn't like getting worked up.

"Almost our _what_ Jerry?" Bobby asked; He still wasn't in a good mood.

"She was almost our sister man, Ma had the papers drawn up and everything." Jerry sighed, getting up from the bed. His story over, he was ready to relax in front of the TV and watch some hockey.

"Huh," Was Bobby only response. "Then why was she adopted by some family from Florida?"

Jerry snorted. "I have no idea…are we done?"

There was a load pounding sound.

"Jack!" Bobby bellowed; he and Jerry were standing at the top of the stairs.

"It's not us." Jack shouted.

Sarah winced, "Right in my ear, thanks." She teased, snatching back the remote. She flicked MTV back on.

Jack groaned, but smiled lightly.

The pounding came again. It was the front door.

"What now!?" Bobby shouted, walking down the stairs loudly, frustrated, his head was pounding; he definitely wasn't in a good mood.


	4. Hide and Seek

4

"Who's that?" Jack asked loudly, peering out the glass in the front door.

"Whoever it is probably just heard you." Jerry said pointedly, coming to stand next to his older brother.

Jack pushed himself off the couch and stood next to Jerry, "Oh man, I know her! Can she see us?" A look of panic spread across his face.

"I had it replaced," Jack said off hand, "its one way."

"It's still not sound proof." Jerry commented, sighing and walking into the living room. He plopped down in his favorite chair and watched Sarah flick haphazardly through the channels.

"Who is she Jack?" Bobby asked, clearly still annoyed with the random woman's presence on his stoop. "Is she with the hospital?"

"What? No," Jack answered, "She's with the adoption agency."

He paused, tearing his eyes from the door's window he looked at Bobby in shock, "Why would she be from the hospital? Oh man…did you not pay my medical bills?!"

"Not yet princess…those doctors charged too much."

There was more pounding on the door. Bobby sighed, frustrated.

"Bobby," Jack said incredulously, "I was dead."

"Yea, and damn expensive."

"Bobby," Jerry hollered from the other room, "You gonna answer the door or what? She ain't going away man."

Bobby grimaced. Jack retreated back to the couch, throwing him self heavily next to Sarah.

"Who is it anyways?" She asked, settling on sports.

"Miss. Hollandays. I don't know if you know her she's from the…" Jack stopped talking.

Sarah had shot up from the couch the moment he'd said his old social worker's name, and she had continued to run into the connected dining room, grabbing her bag and bolting into the kitchen.

Jerry threw up his hands, "Always a circus around here man."

"Sarah?" Jack asked, pursuing her into the laundry room, "Going somewhere?"

Sarah didn't answer, just finished lacing up her converse and hopped onto the washing machine. She scooted over to the window applying strength to make it open. It didn't budge. She cursed lightly.

"I thought you said people weren't lookin' for yah?" Jack asked, trying his best to hide the smirk at the fact the window had been locked; last night, by Bobby. Sarah hadn't noticed yet.

She huffed, giving the window a final push before giving up and sinking to the floor.

"I," she said, looking up at Jack, "Didn't think they were anymore."

"Who's after you?" He asked straight, crouching down to meet her eye level, "Your old family?"

"No," she shook her head, "Never. Just the agency, and I thought they stopped weeks ago."

"How long have you been at this?" He asked, and then shook his head to cancel the question as he heard shouting from the front room. "Hey will you promise me you'll stay here? We'll get rid of her and then we can talk…if you want. I doubt Ma would want you walking the streets of Detroit with only your duffle and twenty bucks."

Sarah's eyes shot up off the floor, "You dug threw my wallet!"

Jack smiled, shrugging, and stuck out his hand.

Sarah accepted apprehensively, shaking it.

"I'll be right back," Jack promised and shot out the laundry door, leaving it open only a crack behind him.

"And I'll be here." Sarah answered, though she figured he was most definitely out of hearing range.

She smiled, in spite of her self, and began folding the heaped piles of clothes that lay chaotically around her.

~*~

"And I'm telling you she ain't here!" Bobby shouted at a red-faced, heavyset middle-aged woman. Though, with her grey hair, she looked more aged then middle.

She huffed, turning a glaring eye briefly on Jack as he entered the room, she took a deep breath, "All I'm saying," she pointed a pudgy finger at Bobby, "Is that if you see a girl, named Sarah, if she stops by, or tries to contact you in any way, then alert the agency. She's alone, probably scared, and in danger."

"What kind of danger?" Jerry asked, thoroughly interested now.

He was standing next to Bobby. Probably to make sure Bobby didn't jump Miss. Hollandays…or to stop her from punching him. Jack smirked to himself. She had always had a way with people.

"Let's just say," Miss. Hollandays answered icily, collecting a business card from her worn black leather clutch and handing it to Jerry, "Sarah didn't leave many friends in Detroit."

Jerry took the card, not looking at it, not putting it away; he just held it. Bobby was too busy glaring at the woman to notice the transaction much.

"What does that mean?" Jack chipped in, instantly regretting he'd reminded the dragon lady of his youth he was in the room.

"She didn't have a good group of friends," She replied, looking from one brother to the next, "The lot of you should know a thing or two about that I suppose."

"She lived here alright," Jerry stated, "And I don't remember any trouble."

"Yes, well," Miss. Hollandays let the words hang stiffly in the air, "You know where to reach me. I'll let myself out."

She brushed past Bobby and Jerry; who put a hand on Bobby's shoulder to make sure he didn't make any last ditch movements towards the woman. The door shut with a slam.

"You knew her?" Bobby asked, turning on Jack.

"Yea," he sighed, "She was me and Angel's social worker."

Bobby snorted. "If she had been mine, I would have torched the agency."

"You did," Jerry sat back down in his favorite chair, sports highlights still playing across the T.V. screen.

"Yea," Bobby huffed, "But I would've done it a lot sooner then 12."

He paused, "Where's Sarah?"

"Right here," She flopped back on the couch.

"You hear everything?" He asked sharply, crossing his arms and peering down at her.

"Yup." She looked cautiously from the T.V. screen to him, "And thanks…for covering for me."

"Who'd you piss off?" He asked. Jack shifted uncomfortably.

"Other then Miss. Hollandays?" She said, flippant, "no one."

""If people are gonna start coming after you, I need to know." Bobby stated matter of fact.

"No one's coming after me." Sarah replied. Convincing Bobby, he cursed under his breath about their recently departed visitor and something about needing coffee and lumbered into the kitchen.

Jack sank into the couch next to Sarah, "Thanks for staying."

"I didn't have a choice," she smiled, turning her eyes away from his, "turned out the window was locked."

Jack smirked; he wasn't convinced. The way her eyes had flickered when she said no one. The way her body remained slightly tensed after Bobby had left the room and the conversation had stopped. Then again, maybe he was just being overly cautious. Being shot can do that to a person.

But he still wasn't convinced.


End file.
